When do juncos leave New York?

Dark-eyed Juncos never fully leave New York: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by mid April, but some are still reported in every week, about 3.1% of checklists at the low.

When is the best time to see juncos in New York?

The Dark-eyed Junco is reported most often in the second week of November, on about 39% of New York checklists.

Dark-eyed Junco · Junco hyemalis

When Do Juncos Arrive in New York?

Photo: Jimmy Dee, CC BY-SA 4.0 via iNaturalist

Dark-eyed Juncos are in New York all year, but most are here in winter: numbers build from mid October, peak in the second week of November (39% of checklists), and fall back by mid April. In the quietest week (early September) they are still on about 3.1% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildOct 15-21mid October

PeakNov 8-14the second week of November

Fall back byApr 15-21mid April

FewestSep 1-7early September

Best: the second week of November. Here all year; numbers build from mid October and fall back by mid April. Peak: on about 39% of New York checklists.

Janpeak season
Febpeak season
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Mayuncommon
Jununcommon
Juluncommon
Augrare
Sepuncommon
Octpeak season
Novpeak season
Decpeak season

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

Juncos in New York, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Dark-eyed Junco	Oct 15-21	Oct 15-21	Nov 8-14	Apr 15-21	39%

Dark-eyed Junco

Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in New York that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

Where in New York

Best counties for Dark-eyed Junco

Share of checklists at the peak

Oneida CountyBest late January · 447 checklists that week, 24,439 in all70%
Steuben CountyBest the second week of February · 219 checklists that week, 13,694 in all66%
Herkimer CountyBest the second week of December · 262 checklists that week, 20,872 in all64%
Columbia CountyBest early February · 416 checklists that week, 28,454 in all64%
Allegany CountyBest the second week of February · 178 checklists that week, 11,955 in all63%
Otsego CountyBest the second week of December · 160 checklists that week, 15,810 in all62%

Common questions

When do juncos arrive in New York?: Dark-eyed Juncos are in New York all year, but most are here in winter: numbers build from mid October, peak in the second week of November (39% of checklists), and fall back by mid April. In the quietest week (early September) they are still on about 3.1% of checklists.
When do juncos leave New York?: Dark-eyed Juncos never fully leave New York: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by mid April, but some are still reported in every week, about 3.1% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see juncos in New York?: The Dark-eyed Junco is reported most often in the second week of November, on about 39% of New York checklists.